NY Court Helpfully Rules that Chimps Are Not People

ALBANY, N.Y. — Tommy the chimpanzee is not a person, according to a New York appeals court.

A Florida group's efforts to free a chimpanzee fell short on Thursday when the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court in Albany upheld a lower court's decision that found that such animals aren't entitled to basic legal rights.

The case centered around Tommy, a 26-year-old chimpanzee kept by his owner in a cage in Gloversville. Attorney Steven Wise, president of the Nonhuman Rights Project, argued that chimpanzees display enough attributes similar to humans to be eligible for protections from unlawful imprisonment.

The ruling, that the chimp is not a human, was unanimous.

Members of the animal rights left are funny creatures. They want more rights for animals while at the same time they seek fewer rights for humans.